Arunachal students' body leads boycott Chinese goods drive

February 5, 2010

Phayul
February 3, 2010

Dharamsala, February 3 -- Chinas repeated claims
on the north eastern Indian state of Arunachal
Pradesh have angered students across the state
where students are now targeting Beijings
biggest economic weapon -- exports, reported The Times of India.

All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (Aapsu), a
powerful students group on Tuesday called for a
boycott of Made-in-China goods from February 8.

"The boycott is necessary in the backdrop of
repeated Chinese claims over Arunachal," a
written appeal from the students bodys
president Takam Tatung said. "Our activists will
visit every shop to identify commodities made in China," it added.

The students body said "enough time" was given
to remove Chinese goods after last months
request by Arunachal Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ACCI).

"The Union governments approach to the Chinese
issue left a lot to be desired. One case in point
is the alleged captivity of a certain Chabe
Chader, a villager of Gumsing Taying in Upper
Subansiris Taksing Circle area, by the Chinese
army. Chader went missing from Asaphila border
area on August 18, 2007," the statement said.

The students had taken up the matter with the
home ministry earlier and former Lok Sabha member
Kiren Rijiju had also raised the issue in the
Parliament. The then external affairs joint
secretary, Ashok K Kantha, had said the matter
was taken up through diplomatic channels as well
as through flag meetings, border personnel meetings and the hotline at Bumla.

"However, till date there is no trace of Chader.
This vindicates Aapsus fear that in case of
China, the Union government can even forego the
safety of innocent citizens of Arunachal," Tatung alleged.